Flowers for a Ghost
by Touch of the Wind
Summary: Will need to read Weapon and Collide first. Draco has just received the Dark Mark and thinks about what Harry will think. SLASH


**A/N: **This is a Harry Potter One-shot.

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Song used is 'Flowers For A Ghost' by Thriving Ivory. I did edit the lyrics so it says 'He' instead of 'She' at one point in the story.

**Rating: **Teen

**Author: **Touch of the Wind

**Pairings: **Harry x Draco

**Summary:**Will need to read Weapon and Collide first. Draco has just received the Dark Mark and thinks about what Harry will think.

**Flowers for a Ghost**

The rain hammered down, its heavy downpour battering against the glass of his bedroom window. The sound of it pounding against the roof was loud to the blond. Draco rolled over and buried his head into his pillow. Finally giving up on sleep, Draco sat up and looked at the window. The sky was dull and the steady downpour of rain made him feel miserable. It was fitting though.

Draco stood from the bed, his form defeated and no longer proud as it was a few days ago. A pair of black sleeping pants hung low on his hips, showing off his small hips and long powerful legs. His upper torso was just as impressive, though his arm was bandaged up.

With a sigh, Draco looked down at his arm- his other hand coming to rest on his forearm. His face was drawn and paler than normal for the Slytherin. His blond hair was greasy and unkept.

Draco's fingers began to run over the material covering his arm, idly tracing a pattern which had been branded into his mind. Draco sighed and seemed to draw some strength from somewhere- the image of a certain green eyed teen flashing through his mind. He pulled the bandage off of his arm quickly and retched at the sight on his arm.

The Dark Mark stared up at him.

The black lines marred his pale and otherwise unblemished skin. The horrible image staring up at him as if screaming at him, laughter ran through his mind- laughter that had haunted his nightmares ever since the Dark Lord's return.

That summer he would wake during the night as Death Eater meetings were held in his home the cackle of the Dark Lord echoing through the halls along with the screams of the Death Eaters that had displeased him.

He was weak. Draco Malfoy was weak. He had never considered the possibility before he came to Hogwarts but then he met Harry Potter. Time and time again Harry proved that he was so much stronger than Draco. Draco knew from his first year that he would never be as strong as Harry.

He glanced at the mark once more and broke. Tears came and Draco let out a few silent sobs. Draco stumbled over to the wall, sliding down and letting out a few moans as if in pain.

What would Harry think of him now?

_You disappear with all your good intentions  
And all I am is all I could not mention  
Like who will bring me flowers when it's over  
And who will give me comfort when it's cold_

Harry would leave him. Draco wouldn't blame him though. He joined Voldemort- the man who killed his parents and has tried to kill him several times. Draco wouldn't blame Harry if he cursed Draco. Hell, Draco would even dig the grave first.

His head fell against the wall with a thud. Draco closed his eyes, tears falling down his pale cheeks. He didn't see two figures watching him from the door of his room which was slightly open.

Narcissa Malfoy watched as her son broke down, she glanced up at Severus Snape with concerned eyes. Narcissa stepped back and closed the door and walked away. Severus lingered for a moment, his dark eyes fixed on the door with a sorrowful look. He never wanted this for his Godson.

Draco breathed deeply, but it felt as if every breath drawn into his chest caused him pain which spread throughout his body. It was over. Harry would leave him and then he would be all alone. His Father was in Azkaban and would only think of him as weak if he knew. In Severus's eyes now he was an enemy. Draco wasn't stupid and knew that his Godfather was a spy. Severus wouldn't care if this mission killed him. His Mother was so ashamed of him that she wouldn't care.

Who would miss him when it was all over?__

_He took a plane to somewhere out in space  
To start a life and maybe change the world  
See I never meant for you to have to crawl  
No I never meant to let you go at all_

Don't ever say goodbye

As much as he wished that Harry would love him unconditionally, he knew better. As soon as Harry figured it out, he would be gone from Draco's life. He would regard Draco with suspicion, pity and anger. Draco didn't think he could stand that.

Harry would leave him behind, start a new life without him and change the world for the better. Draco would be left behind in the cold and without anyone. If he did survive he would most likely be chucked into Azkaban and left to die. He would sit there wondering what Harry was doing as he withered away. If he did die then who would care about a Death Eater that was killed? No one.

Draco never meant for this to happen, he was going to spend his summer brewing potions for Harry, that way his lover would have healing potions on hand for the war. When he returned home though, he found the Dark Lord in his home lording over his minions and ready to Mark him. Draco had no choice.

Fresh tears ran down Draco's face, his face a mask of anguish and heartache. Draco's greatest fear was to be alone. He never could deal well with being alone.

Not only would he be alone but he would have to live with the knowledge that he made things even more difficult for Harry. Harry would always love him in a way- even if it was only as an enemy. Yet on a battle field Harry would no doubt always be wondering whether the Death Eater he was fighting was Draco.__

_See my head aches from all this thinkin'  
Feels like a ship God, God knows I'm sinkin'  
Wonder what you do and where it is you stay  
These questions like a whirlwind, they carry me away_

Draco gave a sigh and slumped onto the floor so he was lying down on his softly carpeted floor. He was losing it…but the thought of losing Harry was too much. Who would comfort him when the day's events overwhelmed him and who would teach him things about love, loyalty and courage…no one.

Draco rubbed his forehead as pain started to throb in his head. Crying always made his head hurt…though he rarely cried anymore. It seemed the only thing that could draw tears from him was Harry.

Draco let his hand fall back onto the floor- wondering what Harry was doing now. Were those relatives of his making him do enough chores to exhaust the wizard? Or had Dumbledore spirited him away to safety?

The rain continued to hammer on the roof and windows creating a lullaby as Draco's thoughts fled and turned into a slumber which rested his body but his mind was still reeling and his heart was throbbing with pain.

The door opened and Severus and Narcissa peered in, both looking down on the broken boy lying on the floor. With a flick of Severus's wand, Draco was levitated onto the bed and the covers pulled over his still form by Narcissa who gave him a kiss on the forehead before both adults left the room, but left the door open in case he woke before nightfall.__

_Who will bring me flowers when it's over  
And who will give me comfort when it's cold  
Who will I belong to when the day just won't give in  
And who will tell me how it ends and how it all begins_

Don't ever say goodbye

Draco walked down the hallway moving towards their room- he felt the need to play something. Suddenly an arm shot out and dragged him into a dark alcove, he was pushed against the wall and a pair of familiar lips pressed against his own. Draco kissed back with need; he feared that this might be his last kiss with Harry.

His hand grabbed Harry's slim hips and pulled the smaller wizard against him. Harry's hands running up his chest to rest on his shoulders, his thumb rubbing over the skin at the base of his neck sending shivers through his body.

Breathlessly they pulled apart but stayed in each others' embrace. Harry moved his hand down Draco's arm lightly and looked into Draco's eyes.

"I know," Harry whispered.

Draco gave a cry and tried to pull away but Harry shoved him firmly against the wall.

"I don't care," Harry said as he held Draco. Draco stopped trying to get away and looked down at his lover shocked.

"You don't?" Draco choked out, his voice pained and tears beginning to show.

"No, I know you, Draco," Harry said while taking Draco's face in his hands, "you didn't join him willingly."

"I should have been stronger," Draco whispered, his voice broken.

"You're only human, Draco," Harry whispered as he stroked his hand over Draco's cheek, his finger nimbly wiping away tears that began to fall.

"I thought I'd lost you," Draco cried as he pulled Harry to him.

"You won't lose me, Draco," Harry said firmly into the blond's ears, "I love you too much."__

_I'm only human  
I'm only human  
I'm only human_

That night neither Draco nor Harry returned to their dorms much to the worry of the dorm-mates and Professor Snape. They simply stayed in their room, melodies drifted from the piano while they relaxed together. They lay on the bed and simply held one another in silence, neither wanting the outside world to disturb them.

They wouldn't move until morning light when they would move through the halls of Hogwarts silent as ghosts and wait for their houses to wake. Both, though, would feel better and more content since their arrival to Hogwarts.

They weren't alone.

00000


End file.
